American Muslims grew in number over the past decade, outnumbering Jews for the first time in most of the Midwest and part of the South, while most mainline churches lost adherents, according to a census of American religions released on Tuesday.

The number of Muslim adherents rose to 2.6 million in 2010 from 1 million in 2000, fueled by immigration and conversions, said Dale Jones, a researcher who worked on the study by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies.

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The number of Mormons, whose Utah-based church’s formal name is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, grew by 45 percent to 6.1 million in 2010, according to the census, which asked 236 religions to count their own adherents. Family members of adherents were generally included in the numbers.

{snip}

Among the other largest U.S. faiths, adherents to the Southern Baptist Convention held steady at 19.9 million over the decade, the United Methodist Church lost 4 percent to 9.9 million adherents, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America lost 18 percent to 4.2 million, and the Episcopal Church lost 15 percent of its adherents to 1.95 million.

Evangelical protestant congregations continued to grow, though slowly, to 50 million adherents. Most of the growth, surprisingly, was in urban areas and the vast majority of expanding congregations have fewer than 100 members and are not large mega churches, Jones said.

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Church_of_Jed

You’ve got to hand it to Arab ingenuity: they softened us up with 9/11 attacks, and we embrace them. The know us better than we know ourselves.

dmxinc

How many of us thought that Americans would be stupid enough to allow Muslims to triple in number a decade after 9-11?

Shouldn’t be 1/3 the number by now? How do we win this struggle?

IstvanIN

Muslim: I will kill you!

American: Oh shucks, invite your 32 cousins to live here!

Muslim: They will kill you as well!

American: Oh, and how many Quickie Marts do you want?

We are doomed.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_W25W7Z72IPG34VCBTTORC7GE3U Steven

Muslums are being improted as asylum seekers on your tax $$. Despite that christians are the persecuted minority in africa.

Yes, the number of new Muslims is disquieting; although the growth of the Mormons, a very largely White faith, in the U.S. anyway, is heartening.

It was amusing reading the comments of the anti-Mormon readers of the Salt Lake Tribune when that (anti-Mormon) paper published the results of that survey. I never saw so many different ways of saying, “It’s not true,” “They jiggered the numbers,” “They counted dead Mormons,” blah, blah, blah.

You probably heard that from some of the anti-Mormons I just mentioned in my post above. They never want to cut the Mormons any slack on anything.

StivD

Even though I’m not religious, I’ll never understand the grudges some people get against various religions or the idea of religion itself.

loyalwhitebriton

US religious leader Joseph Smith (1805-1844) was, apparently, visted by an angel and given access to a book made of golden plates, which was, inconveniently (or conveniently?) lost later on.
Said book was full of all sorts of weird stuff, including polygamy; despite the fact that there was only Adam and one wife Eve, and the clear NT teachings on monogamy.
Americans have a tough choice this November: vote for a follower of the religion of peace/death/necrophilia, or vote for a follower of a polygamous christian cult.
You have some crazy politics over there.

http://NoMormonInWhiteHouse.blogspot.com/ Timothy Lee Unrine

The First Vison story evolved over eighteen years to fine-tune it based on public reception.

1. Joe was digging for the plates, and a Toad appeared, turning into a man.

2. Joe was met by ONLY Jesus Christ.

3. Joes was met by two personages.

4. Finally, refined where people can accept it better than a toad: Joe meets up with God and Jesus Christ.

Based on a fraud. I just soon give money to Jimmy Swaggart to spend on prostitutes, than to a con-man’s “religion” developed to make money the easy way.

Like all these TV preachers have found out – there is money to be made – it’s religious in the u.s. the money says “IN GOD WE TRUST.”

Islam is NOT a religion, but a political system masquerading as a religion. That being said, muslims have NO Constitutional “protections” for their “foreign” political system. I would like to see ALL muslims be required to register as “agents of a foreign government. The same should go for the zionists . . .

anarchyst

I would welcome a Mormon “baptism” even in absentia . . .

JohnEngelman

I like Mormons, and I have been proselytized by several pairs of Mormon missionaries. I have read The book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price. Mormons think these are as sacred as the Bible. Nevertheless, I remain a traditional Episcopalian, or an Anglican, using the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.

That’s fine. I’ve studied the Mormons quite thoroughly, and hold great admiration for them, and respect for their adherence to their faith. But I’m not interested in becoming one; they’re too demanding of your time and efforts. But that’s just me.

JohnEngelman

I have studied Mormonism thoroughly enough to know that it is not Divinely inspired, and that Joseph Smith was not a prophet. The Book of Mormon claims to be a detailed history of pre Columbian America from about 500 BC to about 300 AD. There is no evidence that any of the events in The Book of Mormon happened, and much evidence that none of those events happened.

The trouble is, you need to be careful about what you believe about the Mormons, if it’s published in the Salt Lake Tribune. The Trib never misses a chance to stick its thumb into the eye of the LDS church, and most of its readers — the anti-Mormons in mostly Mormon Utah — are only too happy to cheer it on. I got banned from the Trib website for standing up for the Mormons one time too many.

Correct. Americans hold many mistaken notions about the Mormons; you cleared up most of them there.

loyalwhitebriton

You appear to know more about ‘Mormonism’ than I do. Fair enough.
But where does Romney stand on the US/UK question? Friend or Foe?
Obama is anti-British, which is pretty obvious.
John McCains’ ancestors were Ulster Scot; so there is some British blood there.
But what about Romney?

56. Do not play full court basketball.
57. Do not play basketball in leagues.
58. Do not play basketball in tournaments.
59. You may play half-court basketball.

Full court is off limits, but half court is okay.

So they’re trying to tell us that what God abhors in 94 feet, he’s okay with in 47 feet?

On the other hand, Mormons are one of the few religious demographics whose whites have TFR above replacement level.

MikeofAges

The rules have a lot to say about athletic and outdoor activities. Like don’t get involved in organized teams and leagues in any case. It is suspicious that they elaborate so much on the issue of basketball. But I think the idea is, half court can be considered simple recreation.

Not always. Not where I came from. If you didn’t know the protocols, you could end up jammed. By “jammed” I mean “jammed”. Not jammed on by a more athletic player. Jammed. But it’s simple. The rubes, chumps and novices played early. The better players later. The best last of all. There was no “take turns”. But it was logical, and you just had to accept it. If you did, you were okay.

http://NoMormonInWhiteHouse.blogspot.com/ Timothy Lee Unrine

How much is the true Mormon growth rate. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that for this same report, the Mormons changed how they count someone as a member.

Church attendance of Mormons is 40%. So for that remaining 60%, who have, or haven’t attended a Mormon church in years, but their names remain on the rolls, because it takes miles of red tape to get your name removed, and most give up.

Now the pollster says each church determines how to count it’s members. But if Mormons typically lie by inflating numbers, by including “members” who left the church, but the Mormons keep their names on the rolls – none of these numbers are credible, considering the source.

Figures don’t lie, but Mormons figure.

My name is still on the rolls, and I have submitted three letters over two years, to the Bishop, and a copy to Salt Lake, to remove my name. But whenever the ward gets new Missionaries who visit “members” from the membership list – go figure – I’m still marked as Active.

This is a delicate issue, so I’ll be short: aren’t you too hard on Mormons ? In matters Amren regulars think matter most, Mormons are “our guys”. Forget about theology, brainwashing, annoying & aggressive missionary activity (why the Hell they operate mostly in Catholic countries, and not Buddhist, Muslim or Hindu ?)- but Mormons are highly fertile Whites that are good for European American “cause” (you know what I mean).

http://NoMormonInWhiteHouse.blogspot.com/ Timothy Lee Unrine

When Mormons are going to Christian households, trying to convert them to Mormon, by falsely claiming that Mormons are Christians – then NO, Mormons are not on the side of Christians.

Galatians 1:1-9 warns us of false gospels, false prophets, and commands us to reprove and rebuke – that means to confront the false Christians, to save our Christianity.

2 Timothy 4:1-5 tells us that in season, out of season, which means whether it is convenient for us or not, we must preach the correct gospel, to overcome those with itching ears that are susceptible to Mormon lies.

So NO, a religion with an attitude taught of Lying for the Lord, isn’t on the Christian side.

Proverbs 12:22 The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.

Everybody knows that Mormons were forced to change their position on race. But, still, they are way more White than Baptists or Catholics.

http://NoMormonInWhiteHouse.blogspot.com/ Timothy Lee Unrine

You are correct, this year the Mormons included all members, even the “inactive.”

And since it takes an act of Congress to remove one’s name from the Mormon cult (I’ve sent three letters to the Bishop, with copies to SLC, over the last two years, and left the church three years ago.

But new missionaries came to my house to check on me, and confirmed that I was still listed as Active.

High Score? I guess the Mormon God is just ignorant to not see that his Mormons are inflating the numbers of his sheep.

I know the the true Christian Christ was never a numbers-man; the true Christian Christ was interested in disciples, ones that would stay in the church, not leave in less than five years.

Just another lie to fool voters, like the ones for the last four years trying to prove that a conspiracy happened where his parents paid the hospital in Hawaii to forge a birth certificate, the Obama family paid to run a birth announcement in the Hawaiian paper, all so that their son could grow up to become the first “foreigner” to be elected President.

Even the Kennedy’s can’t raise a President from birth – Joseph Jr. was shot down in the war, JFK was second string, and wasn’t Joe Sr’s first love for the Presidency.

So the birthers and the Obama-is-a-Muslim – a little bit of education goes a long way. Propaganda only works on the uninformed.

The you need to ask, why do “they” want you to believe Obama is a Muslim? So you would vote against him, and vote for a Mormon? Claiming Obama is a Muslim is huge Romney smear campaign, in the wake of 9/11 even after ten years, anti-Muslim feelings run high.

StivD

So, your better choice would be Obama? In your mind?

http://NoMormonInWhiteHouse.blogspot.com/ Timothy Lee Unrine

Don’t worry about the Muslims, they stop to pray several times a day, so snipers should have an easy time in a war.

Mormons on the other hand, two words: Mountain Meadows.

http://profile.yahoo.com/MMIG34TVH4XVC2JUJZQBVSEY6Y Dan

Many of your Black inmates identify or convert to Islam once they’re incarcerated. I couldn’t count the number of times I’ve heard a Black inmate say he wasn’t going to worship some cracker.

Deprince

the strength of civilization comes from its believe, if its believe is shattered, then its population will be demoralized. why not becoming a muslim? actually the turks were a conquered ethnic in early history of Islam, but latter in time, they became the master of their conqueror. and there are many school of philosophies in Islam.

Once a Catholic…. is a phrase, but not reality. The Church does not count those persons who had crossed to other faiths (and “faiths”) to be Catholics. Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, Tom Cruise, John Travolta…. are not Catholics. Adio, finito, benito.

http://NoMormonInWhiteHouse.blogspot.com/ Timothy Lee Unrine

A middle name doesn’t make anyone Muslim, at least not in America.

Romney doesn’t compare to JFK. Kennedy was a pew-sitter Catholic, never a Sunday School teacher, never a priest.

Romney, father a Stake President, and per Romney’s 08 campaign, that is an equivalent to an ArchBishop in power and responsibility. Romney was a seminary graduate, a missionary, counselor to a Stake President, Bishop, Stake President, family connected to the founders of Salt Lake, an ancestor who was an Apostle.

So Romney is much more a Mormon by power, training, and ambtion, than Kennedy was a Catholic.

Romney’s ambition is to be the next Romney as an Apostle, so he’ll yes sir Thomas Monson from the Oval Office to get that assignment once it opens up.

StivD

I truly hope not.

JohnEngelman

I began my study of Mormonism with the idea that Mormonism is unique among the religions in being accessible to a rational evaluation. The other religions base their authority on miracles that happened so long ago that they are impossible to prove or disprove.

Joseph Smith’s assertions are so elaborate that they cannot have been delusions. If the Book of Mormon is true, it must be possible to verify many of the events in it independently. Of course, it is not possible.

Discovering that Joseph Smith was a religious charlatan was disappointing to me. Nevertheless, I continue to practice Christianity.

StivD

I can only speak for myself: I don’t object to you being an obviously intelligent atheist, fat white woman, who just made the best point on the thread.

At least Mormons have resisted being forced to compromise their beliefs far more than most mainstream religions.